RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Midwives are essential to timely, effective, family-centred care. In South Africa, patients have often expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of midwifery care. Negative interpersonal relationships with caregivers, lack of information, neglect and abandonment were consistent complaints. Less is known about how midwives experience providing care. AIM: This research explored and described the experiences of midwives in providing care to labouring women in varied healthcare settings. SETTING: Midwives practicing in the Gauteng province, South Africa, in one of three settings: private hospitals, public hospitals or independent maternity hospital. METHODS: A convenience sample of midwives (N = 10) were interviewed. An exploratory and descriptive design, with individual semi-structured interviews conducted, asked a primary question: 'How is it for you to be a midwife in South Africa?' Transcribed interviews were analysed using thematic coding. RESULTS: Five themes were found: proud to be a midwife, regulations and independent function, resource availability, work burden and image of the midwife. CONCLUSION: Midwives struggle within systems that fail to allow independent functioning, disallowing a voice in making decisions and creating change. Regardless of practice setting, midwives expressed frustration with policies that prevented utilisation consistent with scope of practice, as well as an inability to practice the midwifery model of care. Those in public settings expressed concern with restricted resource appropriation. Similarly, there is clear need to upscale midwifery education and to establish care competencies to be met in providing clinical services. CONTRIBUTION: This research provides evidence of the midwifery experience with implications for needed health policy change.
RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes have been reported to reduce the rate of transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection by 30% - 40% during pregnancy and childbirth. The PMTCT transmission is achieved by offering HIV prophylaxis or initiating antiretrovirals to pregnant women who test HIV positive. Being aware of the experiences of these women will assist in planning and implementing the relevant care and support. The study was conducted in three phases. AIM: This article will address phase 1 which is to explore and describe the experiences of pregnant women living with HIV. SETTING: The study setting was a PMTCT site in a Provincial Hospital, in Zimbabwe. METHODS: The study design was qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted from a purposive sample of 20 pregnant women. Thematic data analysis was performed. RESULTS: Six themes emerged: realities of disclosure, a need for quality of life, perceived stigmatisation, inadequate knowledge on infant feeding, continuity of care, empowerment and support. CONCLUSIONS: The study concluded that pregnant women living with HIV require empowerment and support to live positively with HIV.